The present invention relates to a method for fixing volatile substances, and more particularly to a method for fixing a volatile substance in an amorphous substrate and the products derived therefrom.
In efforts to give the consumer a fresher tasting reconstitutable beverage mix, it has been found that certain natural or synthetic volatile compounds improve the consumer's taste perception thereof. Unlike liquid systems which usually retain flavorants without adverse stability problems, dry comestible beverage mixes, are often lacking in flavor or have off-flavors due to poor storage stability. A fresh tasting, reconstituted, dry beverage would increase the consumer's perception of freshness which is of paramount importance.
Such compounds as coffee aroma, esters, acetaldehyde, various essential oils, and sulphur compounds, augment or enhance the taste perception of convenience foods. Dry comestible mix systems present special problems when one tries to introduce volatile or aromatic flavorants therein. For example, such materials escape through and from the mix, or react so as to degrade or oxidize into compounds which are recognized to be less desirable. Therefore, there has been a longstanding need to fix by encapsulation, and prevent the escape of volatiles within a "powdered-mix" comestible. Moreover, the method for fixing a volatile must produce a product which is easily reconstitutable and is capable of holding the fix over prolonged periods and under adverse storage conditions.
A major problem inherent in fixing aromatics in food acceptable substrates is the fact that those fixation substrates display idiosyncratic fixation characteristics. The substrate media may be sensitive to moisture, react with the entrained volatile or produce flavor off-notes. Carbohydrates as a class offer a food-acceptable substrate in which volatiles and aromatics have been fixed, however, most water-soluble carbohydrate substrates are hygroscopic and will not reliably hold the fix for long periods. In view of the foregoing, there is a recognized need for an amorphous, moisture-stable, water-soluble, food-approved substrate to encapsulate aromatic or volatile flavorants.
Where flavors, such as essential oils, are not protected by antioxidant, even further problems of off-flavor development are encountered due to oxidation caused by inability of the carbohydrate to protect the flavor from oxygen.